Waterfall: Book 1
by Spottedlivelove14
Summary: Two unlucky girls, Richet and TaraLynn, are thrust into the Hunger Games when they are chosen at the Reaping. The two girls become allies, and become too good of friends, so they try to do something never done before... escape the arena! Will they succeed, or get killed by vicious careers trying?


Chapter 1…

I ran to the lake, stopping right at the reeds beside the river bed. Submerging myself in the cool, comforting water. The burning hot sun couldn't harm me now. The wind slowly picked up, blowing the blades of grass back and forth. A rabbit ran by me, and I cursed myself for having fun in the water. If I had caught that rabbit, maybe I would have gotten a morsel for our Reaping Feast tonight. But my father would probably say that I didn't need to get it, comforting me saying, "Better a little hungry than getting burned by the sun, I always say." But I was fifteen, I didn't need comforting. And I needed to get that rabbit.

I jumped out of the lake and headed towards the meadows, where the rabbit was heading. Bounding down the path with my knives, I stalked the rabbit until I was in throwing range. I threw the blade at it, with enough force to kill it. I swiftly picked up the poor thing and dumped it in my game bag. I'm not really supposed to be collecting game from the Sacred Meadows, but I have to feed my family. In order of seniority, there is my father, myself, Leyna, Brooke and Oceana, Amizelle, and Velicety. Just thinking of all of my little sisters, starving to death, shivering, and crying, motivates me to hunt for food.

I heard a rumble of hovercrafts flying over me, so I turned around to head back to my house. I stopped for a moment, counting game, but something-or someone, jumped in front of me and startled me.

"I got you, didn't I?" I heard Evander tease playfully. His swept up brown hair was a mess, and sweat gleamed down his forehead.

"Very funny." I replied. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for Reaping?"

Evander just laughed. "I wanted to go swimming with you, fishy, until you chased after that rabbit." His sea-green eyes looked at me, staring me down playfully. Over the years, I had learned to resist him, but I guess I was in a non-resisting mood today. Most girls swooned over him, dying for his attention. Evander was fairly good-looking, but I wasn't the prissy type.

"Whatever." I said. But then he just pushed me in the lake laughing. Soon, he jumped in too. I splashed him with the lake water, sputtering and laughing. After a little while, our splash-fight ended, and Evander swam a little closer to me, with something behind his back.

"I have a present for you."

"Oh really?" I mocked. "Is it a make-up for the birthday present you forgot to give me?"

Evander just laughed. "You could say that." We swam to shore, sitting on a log.

"Close your eyes, Richet." Evander said in a caressing tone. Reluctantly, I did. Evander earned my trust by hunting-but mostly swimming-with me. I felt something go into my hair. Immediately, I opened my eyes and stared at my reflection. A big, soft pink flower was in my hair. A Waterfall Lilly. It was what my mother used to wear in her hair, before he accident. You see, my mother was from District Four, but moved here, to District Ten, for a better life. She married my father, an experienced livestock worker, to show her the ways of farming creatures. But the Capital found out, and punished my mother and father to never work as livestock workers again. My mother grew angry with herself, but my father, who loved her dearly, comforted her, and they began to truly love each other. On their first anniversary, my father gave my mother a Waterfall Lilly, to make sure she was never homesick or sad. One day, my mother was hunting with her knives, when she tripped and fell into a bog. Only my father and I came to try to rescue her. But she died down their. But before she did, she gave me her throwing knives. She said I would know how to throw them, and I did. So I soon began to hunt for my family, trading my rabbits and occasional dove for some money. No one else in my family hunts, though. I've trying to teach Leyna and Brooke how to. Some of the girls in my district are jealous of my dirty blond and bronze hair; almost everyone else in this district has dark, dark brown. I look most like my mother, if not exactly like her. Everything, or at least my father says, from my sky blue eyes, down to my fair-skinned complexion. I look like I belong from District Four. This Waterfall Lilly just brings me one step closer to my mother.

I just sit there, my head on Evander's shoulder. And then I kiss him. Not a "Oh my goodness, I'm so in love with you I could DIE!" kiss, but a "Thank you for being so close to me and being my friend." kiss. I ran away soon after that.

When I got home, I ran up to my room. Just like I expected, my father picked out my mother's old party dress. He says it brings good luck, so I won't be drawn. The dress is very beautiful, in my opinion. Nothing compared to what they wear in the Capital, but still beautiful. It has long, warm sleeves, and a collar. But it looks like pink petals are blooming all over it. And when I twirl, it looks like a kaleidoscope of light pinks and tans. The dress has a black and brown belt around the waist, and the bottom of it is slightly wavy, and it goes down to about my knees. I wash in the tub of water my father has provided for me. I slide my throwing knives under my bed, and begin doing my hair. I put it in quick braids to make it become curly, then I use bobby pins to pin it to the side. I smile. All that's left is my shoes. The shoes are sunshine yellow flats that are open like sandals, except there's a line going up to the strap. I don't like them very much, but I can't wear my hiking boots to the Reaping, can I?

I walk downstairs to help all of my little sisters with their outfits. Father isn't much help, he's too busy worrying about how he'll deal with life if one of us get's chosen, because District Ten hasn't had that many winners. District Four, is a Career, though, so if we lived there, he'd be less worried. I walk to Leyna's bedroom, which is next to the kitchen.

I see that Leyna is struggling to get on her dress when I walk in. Her flame-red hair was all over the place. I laughed, and Leyna hit my arm.

"I need help with this dress." Leyna said.

"Of course you do!" I laughed. She just pouted.

"Just help me." Leyna sighed.

"I'll see what I can do." I told her. And I was being honest.

Leyna's dress was polka-dotted, and was white and black. It was very tight, and was shaped to her body, but she must have put it on wrong. I gently slid it off Leyna, and then helped her back into it. Then I pulled Leyna's hair up into a bun, with some of the extra bobby pins I used. She didn't say anything, but by the look in her she was grateful. Even though she was fourteen, the Reaping made her nervous and scared. Leyna was very distracted, and very attached to us. But mostly me. I left Leyna in her room, while I began to check on Brooke and Oceana.

Brooke and Oceana have no problem with their matching corduroy dresses. For thirteen-year-olds, Brooke and Oceana are really into looking nice. Me, I'm into providing food for my family. Brooke and Oceana look exactly alike, except for their eyes. Brooke has dark blue eyes, but Oceana has sea-green, like Evander. Their hair, skin complexion, even birth-marks are the same. And now their into matching Reaping dresses. To them, The Reaping is a fun place you can show off your new dress. That's a big deal to them, to get new dresses, because most of the time, they don't get knew clothes. The Reaping is the day after their birthday.

"Are you all set in here?" I ask.

"Yeah!" They said. "We're good!"

"Okay." I replied.

Now I just wandered the halls, because Amizelle's leg was badly sprained, so she couldn't go to the Reaping, and Veliceity was only eleven. My dress fluttered back and forth as I paced down the hallway. I glanced at the old grandfather clock my mother constructed. It was 1:00 PM now, so I have to get Leyna and the twins out of the house and to the Reaping Sqaure. District 10 is pretty big, so we have our own square for Reaping. That's just because the Capital wants it to be one of the Greatest events all year, blah blah blah. If it was up to me, there would be no Reaping. If it was up to me, there wouldn't be any Hunger Games. Stupid Capital. Stupid Panem. Stupid Hunger Games.

"Everyone here?" I asked, even though there were only four of us. Brooke and Oceana were very excited, chatting about how that thirteen-year-old bot in their class smiled at them, blah blah blah. I didn't even care, I just wanted to get this over with.

Leyna already knew what to do, and was headed in the way to the Identification. Now I had to explain to them that it was okay, and it would hurt less when the needle pricked their finger.

"Alright guys, you know what to do, go up to the lady and say your name, then go over to where Leyna is, and I'll come and get you two, okay?" I asked.

"Okay. Will it hurt?" They replied.

"Only a little. Now you guys go, I'll check in with the other Peacekeepers." I rushed while turning on my heel to the Identification. I walked over there, and waited in line for a couple of minutes. I saw Evander looking over at me from the boys section. I smiled.

"Name?" The woman asked, keeping her eyes on the book.

"Richet Catrine Floren." I answered, sticking out my hand. The women took the needle and pricked my skin, causing a drop of blood to blossom on my finger. I pressed my finger on the rough paper. I didn't flinch, because I was used to this. Once she dismissed me, I quickly ran over (Well, more like walking because the Peacekeepers make us) to where Leyna and the twins were.

"Alright, now that everyone is checked in, we go stand over there. Come on." I motioned. My siblings followed me to the area we were standing at. And waited for a while. A lot more kids turned twelve this year, so the bowls are twice as large.

After five minutes or so, Mayor Alphine walked on to the stage with his wife and daughter, Pryana and Enora. Mayor Alphine wore a grey suit, giving the event an even more dismal mood. Mistress Pryana wore a dark red dress that had little black polka dots all over it. Around her teeny-tiny waist, was a belt. The dress went down to around her knees, and was ruffled so it looked like short, red and black polka dotted, peacock feathers. Enora's dress was simpler, though. It was an orange-sunset color, with puffy sleeves. The skirt of it went down to her knees. The family smiled and waved to the dismal crowd. They have reasons to smile and wave, now that their children aren't put in the drawing bowl. And Enora is a brat too…

"Welcome, welcome, children ages twelve-eighteen to the District 10 Reaping." Mayor Alphine announced. He gave such a long, boring speech, that I was half-way asleep by the end of it.

"Our Mahana Islandes will now show the Hunger Games screening and have the honor of picking the names of our two tributes." Mayor Alphine announced again. Then, Mahana came onto the stage. She looked like a giant yellow bird had flown itself onto the stage. Mahana had on a sunshine yellow, ruffled, short, one shoulder dress. It looked so bright, like you were staring at the sun. Mahana had lipstick and eyeshadow to match her yellow dress, along with a clutch purse. I could almost see the words, _MADE IN THE CAPITAL _on them. But that wasn't all of her yellow accessories. Her heels were probably six inches, and had a black and yellow design on them. I looked over at Leyna. She was smirking. I couldn't catch her glance so I continued looking at Mahana during the film. When she finally turned on her heel, something on her wrist glittered in the sunlight; a yellow stone and turquoise bracelet. I looked up at her eyes in disbelief. Along with the bracelet, was a pendant with yellow stone and a bead. It looked so… normal.

Mahana smiled at us like a maniac and then giddily squealed, "Welcome to the 76th annual Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor." It was like when she said favor, it was two servants cues to bring the bowls on stage. Mahana, who was still smiling, reached into the Male drawing bowl. I could see her dainty pale fingers swimming around like piranhas in a fish tank. We all know that Mahana is famous for her long, sunshine yellow sharp nails. Finally, when the piranhas finally had four a reasonable prey, with a slight "Aha!" from Mahana, she pulled out the piece of paper.

"Evander Cay." Mahana rang out. I never understand why that woman' voice repeats over and over and over in my head, like my head was put in a church bell that was swinging back and forth. But Evander was going in the arena. And he most likely wouldn't come back. I was on the verge of crying myself tom death from sadness and a broken-heart. It was his birthday next month, and he would never get to celebrate it.

_Let's just get this over with._

Mahana walked over to the Female bowl. Her fingers one by one slipped into the paper. It took her almost three seconds to find the right one. When she plucked it out, I was almost hyperventilating. That woman really knew how to make things dramatic and suspenseful. I gnawed on the inside of my mouth, each chew making me worry more. Then Mahana finally said the name with triumph, like she knew this person was going to win.

"Richet Catrine Floren."

That's my name.


End file.
